Dreaming Of Gold

U.s. Basketball Team Has Taken The Fun Out Of Games

July 28, 1996

When the United States used to send amateurs to represent the nation at the Olympics, Americans often complained that our teams were at a disadvantage. Other countries sent professionals. Other countries, notably the Soviet Union, financed their athletes' training for the games. How could we possibly compete?

After the U.S. team of college basketball players lost in 1988, American pride could suffer no longer. Enough of this false amateurism. Other countries used professionals, so would we.

Now the United States is assured of a gold medal in basketball, and the world is assured of a series of non-competitive, boring games. Not only is the outcome a foregone conclusion, but the U.S. players don't even show their opponents the courtesy of acting involved in the games.

Playing badly and keeping the score close doesn't make a competitive game; it insults the opponent. The most accurate description to date of the "Dream Team II" is that instead of dreaming they are sleepwalking.

In sending this massive display of force into the Olympics, the U.S. is violating the creed of the Olympics: "The most important thing in the Olympic Games is not to win but to take part, just as the most important thing in life is not the triumph but the struggle. The essential thing is not to have conquered but to have fought well."

There's no struggle here. And there will be no feeling of having fought well.

We all love to win. But in a sense bigger than any medal, the U.S. would win more if it were willing to live - and perhaps die - with talented collegians rather than be embarrassed by an overabundance of talented professionals.